The House is out and in a committee work week and will return for votes on Monday, July 19th.
The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. and will resume consideration of the nomination of Uzra Zeya to be an Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
The House and Senate begin what will be a busy midsummer legislative push, with action expected on a host of priorities including the evolving infrastructure package, appropriations bills and a budget resolution. Although the House is not in session this week, appropriators in that chamber will be busy today marking up four big-ticket spending bills. The full House Appropriations Committee will take on the Defense and Homeland Security spending bills on Tuesday, the Commerce-Justice-Science and Labor-HHS-Education bills on Thursday and the Energy-Water and Transportation-HUD bills on Friday. Of note, the draft transportation bill would provide $84.1 billion in discretionary spending, or $8.7 billion above fiscal 2021 enacted levels. It aims funding at programs for three of President Joe Biden’s top priorities: infrastructure, climate change and racial equity.
Even before the Senate returns from the two-week break, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said the Senate won’t recess for its August summer break without considering the budget resolution and bipartisan infrastructure bill. Senate Democrats goal is to simultaneously advance two giant bills before the summer break: a bipartisan investment in roads, bridges, high-speed internet and other infrastructure projects; and a far larger and more partisan package that would include tax increases on corporations and the rich to fund an expansion of the social safety net and programs to fight climate change. If successful, the July sprint would set up Congress to pass both bills into law when it returns to work in September. After reaching an agreement to spend $579 billion in new money on infrastructure projects last month, the bipartisan group of senators spent much of the extended July 4th recess turning their framework into real legislation that they believe can win 60 votes in the Senate and pass the Democratic-led House. Key Senate committees are expected to begin moving parts of that bill this week, and Leader Schumer has said he expects a vote by the full Senate before leaving in August as well as a vote on a budget resolution mapping out the reconciliation spending. Action in the House could follow.
The President meets today with the Attorney General and local leaders, including law enforcement, elected officials, and a community violence intervention expert, to discuss his Administration’s comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crimes. Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor who won a crowded primary by focusing on what he called his more conservative plans to combat the recent surge in gun violence, is also scheduled to be part of the group at the White House.
Adam S. Olsen, Washington, D.C.
